The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-09-22
TpE PENSION BUREAU.
important Reeonnsadatisss Nsds By the Con.
missioner Of Pensions IN His Annual Rsport

Important Recommendations 1sds By the Con.
missioner Of Pensions u His Annual Report.
:, Gen. ]. c. Black, commissioners OF pen.
ptOns, In his annual report to the secretary
Of the Interior, states that during the past
quarter OF q century the bureau OF pen.
sions has developed from an inconsider.
able office to one whose clientage IL unsur.
passed In numbers. and that this develop.
ment has rendered necessary great and
radical changes and a reorgani1a tion in tho
methods OF the bureau. The suggestions
OF the commissioner are important, and
are AZ follows:
First-The allowance OF 81 per month
to minor children entitled to pensions is
inadequate for their support and should
be increased to IS per month.
6econd-That the act OF June 10, 1880,
be 60 amended as to permit amendment OF
the act to to extended to those who, sub.
sequent to the date Of It's approval, from
aggravation OF their malady, may have
become helpless.
Third-That the existing law that q wild.
ow's pension certificate can only bear date
from the day on which she files her appli.
cation should be amended to allow. the
the death OF the husband, tho other condi-
tions required by the law being present.
Fourth-That section Ais OF tho Re-
vised Statutes be 80 amended as to pro.
hibit the payment OF more than one pen.
sion to the same person.
Fifth-That the law inquiring a pension
to be graded according to the rank of the
claimant at the time the injury was receiv.
ed fhOuld be amendedso that the rank subse-
quently acquired bona tide may be consdi-
cred by the commissioner in determining
the amount OF pension to be allowed.
Sixth-That the present rate for deaf
ness should be increased by law to $40
per month for total deafness, with inter.
mediate grades to be determined according
to tho degee OF disability.
Seventh-That discretion should be lodg-
ed in the commissio ner in correcting dis.
crepancies in rates of pension for loss of
ia blish table of rates for loss of limbs.
The existing laws upon this point arc in
harmonious and unjust. There is no SUI
ficient reason why, il the amputation OF a
leg at the hip joint entities q claimant to
$40 per month, the loss of a leg and arm
should together be rated at but $50. II
again $45 be taken as a proper pension
Tor leg amputated at the hip-joint. then
the disability for performing manual labor
from the loss OF the foot and the hand
should be graded at a less figure. There are
instances in which the loss Of single limb
is an entire disablement for the perform.
ance OF manual labor in consequence of
the nervous and other Affections which
follow. There are certainly many in
stances in which the loss of two members
OF the body is followed by an equally great
disa bility.
Eighth-That the law be amended so
that the commissioner shall be authorized
to pay the pension to the vito OF pen
sioner or to a suitable person on behalf OF
his children when the habits OF the pen.
sioner show him to be On unfit person to
receive or disburse the pension.
Ninth-That an appropriation OF $751;
600 be made to defray the expenses OF ad.
ditional necessary pension agencies.
Tenth-That an additional clerical force
be allowed to enable the com missioner,
without making extra demands upon the
clerks now in the service, to complete and
satisfy the Mexican pension claims, of
which 5000 have been allowed since the
passage Of the act.
There were at the close OF the year 4O6,.
OO7 pensioners. There were added to the
rolls during the year the names of So, 1914
new pensioners, and the names of 2. TOT
whose pensions hadibeen previouslydropped
were restored to the rolls. During the
pensioners were dropped from the rolls. The
The aggregate annual value OF all pensions
Is $52,S24, 641, an increase for the year
Of So, 116. 633. The amount paid for pen.
sions during the year was $73, 465, 5S1, an
Increase over the previous year Of 50, $685.
$50. The amount paid to 44.Ol0 new
pensioners during the year upon first pay.
men was $25, 166. 500. During the year
IS, 1914 original certificates were issued, q
greater number than was ever before is-
sued by the bureau in any one pear. The
estimates for the fiscal year ending June
30, 1887, aggregate $79, OBS, $50. The ap-
preparation for the last fiscal year was
8$7, 7O1,25